Monday, June 25, 2012

Altar Rails and the Holy Mass

Altar Rails and the Holy Mass

The significance of.

The following excerpt is part of an article by Father Evan Harkins which appeared in December 2011 on the Pray the Mass website.

…Firstly,
we call it an altar rail; the name has reference to the altar. This
rail can be seen as an extension of the altar. Christ becomes present on
the altar and invites us to be fed at His altar via the rail. Very
often the appearance of the rail matches the appearance or imitates the
appearance of the altar. In churches where there is no rail, this
symbolism is very diminished or completely destroyed.

There is a beautiful parallel in the series of events that lead to
the distribution of Holy Communion. Just as the priest goes to the
altar, offers the sacrifice, and brings that Sacrament to the altar rail
for the faithful, so every Christian is called to Sunday Mass, called
to the altar, and, nourished by that Sacrament, is sent out to bring
Christ and His gospel to the world through daily life.

Practically, the rail is a help to people, both physically and
spiritually. The use of rail and the way Holy Communion is distributed
with it sets a solemn pace for the reception of Holy Communion. On the
part of the priest, more of his time is spent actually distributing the
Blessed Sacrament and less time waiting. On the part of the person
receiving, the hurried tone is removed; there is a great opportunity for
quiet and prayer both a few moments before and after receiving our
Lord. The rail also is a help to people in kneeling and standing back
up.

On the psychological level, we all have a desire, built into us by
God, to offer Him our love and worship, but all of our efforts will be
imperfect. This is a truth we cannot escape. If we deny our
short-comings and wrong-doings on our conscious level, we will feel it
and suffer on a more subconscious level.

Because we know that the ‘sanctuary‘ exists — we know that there is a
realm that we are unworthy and unable to enter on our own. We know that
our knowledge and power are limited. God, of course, knows this too and
created a solution. God sent His Son — His Christ — as the perfect high
priest, who in turn instituted the Sacrament of Holy Orders, by which
He allows and commands men to enter His sanctuary and offer His perfect
sacrifice, so that we, the entire Church, may join our imperfect
sacrifices to His….

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ONCE AGAIN

“So once again, I, the LORD All-Powerful, tell you, "See that justice is done and be kind and merciful to one another! Don't mistreat widows or orphans or foreigners or anyone who is poor, and stop making plans to hurt each other."Zechariah 7:9-10 CEV

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CHRISTIANS IN RECOVERY

The International Christian Recovery Coalition is launching a new worldwide movement to establish Christian Recovery Resource Centers beginning January 1, 2011. These centers will provide access for Christians in recovery and those who want God’s help in overcoming alcoholism, drug addiction, at-risk behavior, and life-controlling problems. Full details on how to join and participate can be found on www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com.

We are especially hoping to see one or more centers established in the San Diego area.

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After all, Brethren, the whole end of Theology is love. It seems hard to realize that that is so, but so it is. If your theology does not make you more loving, it has not Christianized you and to that extent is not a Christian theology... All ecclesiasticism and all doctrinalizing are in order to form character, and the soul of character is love. Preach the truth in love, and for the development of love.... Nathaniel J. Burton (1822-1887)